Master lever and synchronizable multiple control



MASTER LEVER AND SYNCHRONIZABLE MULTIPLE CONTROL Filed July 8, 1948 C. R. SUSKA 4 Sheets-Sheet l gmwm afiz uaa July 25, 1950 c. R. susKA 2,516,433

MASTER LEVER AND SYNCHRONIZABLE MULTIPLE CONTROL Filed July 8, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,za Z/\ I Y Z5 C. R. SUSKA July 25, 1950 I MASTER LEVER AND SYNCHRONIZABLE MULTIPLE CONTROL Filed July 8, 1948 July 25, 1950 c. susKA 2,515,433

MASTER LEVER AND SYNCHRONIZABLE MULTIPLE CONTROL Filed July 8, 1948 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 1111 [III III/I afirsusira Z WXQ M W Patented July 25, 1950 OFFICE .MASTER: L-Ev R AND SXNCHRONIZABLE MULTIPLE CONTROL "Charles R. "Sus'ka, Corry, Pat, assignor'to Aei-o Supply Mfg. Co. Inc., Corry, Pa.

, ,ApplicationJuly .s, 1948,.1Seria1Nit 37,653

'1 invention relates to a driving. and driven lever assembly.

An object .of this invention is to provide an improved lever assembly embodying multi-drivin and driven levers wherein thefldri'ving. levers maybe separately adjusted in order that .the ele-' merits connected with the. driven levers may be. accurately synchronized with each .other,,.and when the elements are synchronized the driving levers therefor. may be adjusted as aunit by amain driving lever.

Another object. of this invention is to provide an improved lever assembly which. is seconstructed and. arranged that when one of the-in divid'ual driving. levers is moved to extreme position, the main or synchronized driving lever is released. with respect to the other levers so that the remaining individual driving levers maybe separately operated, .andsubsequent movement of the main driving lever will be ineffective as tothe remaining driving levers.

.A further object-of. this inventionis toprovide in combination a plurality of. regulating levers, each connected,.as an example, to an engine for regulating the speed of the engine, with each regulating lever having associated therewith a driven leverrand an irreversible clutch. between the lever-5,. all of thetlevers being mounted emarotatable'tubular-shaft whichalso has associated therewith an irreversible clutch correlated, with a.main.-lever.

-A further object of this .-i nventionis to provide an improved release ,means for the main control or driving .lever which is automatically operative when one individual-leveris moved to cut-off or extreme position to render the mainlever in.-

operative. An additional .release means is also adapted. tobe operated when one portiontof the main lever is moved endwise relative ;to the .other portion, =so=that the-main lever-can be adjusted to any-desired position. independent of the other levers: in order. that the engines or other.,. elements connected with. the individual levers may be set. up or synchronized, the main l'ever lbeing subsequentl-yuadsusted to .a; mean :positionawith' respectitoitheindividualiflevers; 1

One-adaptation of this invention is a control unit for apluralityof-engines designed to operate at-the same speed's, such as airplane engines. It Will -be understood "that this invention may have other uses which arenot herein enumerated and thatthis invention is not limited to engines for airplanes, but *may be usedin any location where arteries "of operated elements are synchronized one relative .to-the other and maybe adjusted as a unit when so synchronized;

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed .Qut .in the appended claims.

'Inthe drawings,

Figure l is .a detail front elevation, ,partly broken away, of .an irreversiblelever assembly constructed according. to an embodiment of this invention,

'Figure 21is .a' fragmentary. sectional viewtaken' on the line '2 2 of'Fi'gure 1,.

Figure 3iis afragmentary sectional view taken on. the line 13-3 of Figure 2,

.Figure 4 is afragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of one of thedr'iving levers,

Figure Bis afront elevationoff one of the driven levers,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on theline of Figure. 4',

Figure 8'. is afragmentary sectional view taken on theline 81-8 ofFigure'3, v

Figure 9 is. afragmentary sectional View taken on thel'ine 9' 9ofiFigure 2,

I Figure 101's. airagmentary sectional view taken on the-line 'l 41-! 0 .ofFigureZ.

Referring. to the drawings, the numeral [5 designates generally a .frame which is forme'dlof end frame. .members 16 and IT which are secured together in spaced'relation by means of fastening bolts l'8,- and spacer sleeves F9 are interposed .be-

' tween the frame member -l6 and' I1;

The .frame member 16 includes a lower plate 20 formed with an opening 2|, and the frame member '11 includes .a lower'plate '22 having a rabbeted groove 23. Astationary pivot sleeve2 l isdisposed between theitwo end members lfixand IT, beingprovided with a slotted end having .slots 25, and the slotted end which is. the 'rear end of the sleeve 24f engages in the opening 2| of plate 2'0; The opposite endtof pivot member 24 engages in opening 126 ofifront plate 22.

A flanged cap 2'l having a cylindrical flange 28 engages in the forward end of sleeve 241and the cylindrical flange 28 has formed integral therewith an annular flan e 29' engaging in the rabbetedsportion 23 of the plate '22; Aplurality of driving and driven levers '30 and 31 respectively are disposed aboutthe pivot member 24 and the driving. and driven levers are spaced apart Icy-means offgrooved"spacer'members'fl.

of wedging rollers 31 are adapted to engage. The 7 members of each pair of wedging rollers 31 are constantly urged apart to wedging or locking position by means of a spring 38.. I V I The driving lever is formed with an annular hub 39 having pairs of releasing fingers 45' and 4| extending forwardly therefrom, and a lug 42 is disposed between the releasing fingers as shown in Figure 5, thereby forming spaces 43 within which anti-friction rollers 44 are adapted to engage. Releasing fingers wi1l engage one member of each pair of rollers 3! to therebymove said one roller to released position and permit rotation of lever 30 in one direction, whereas releasing fingers 41 will engage the other member of each pair of rollers 31 to permit rotation of lever 30 in the opposite direction.

Each hub 33 of the driven levers 3| has extending upwardly therefrom a pair .of ears 45 between which a pin or operator 46 fixedly'carried by the driven lever is adapted to loosely engage. A pair of opposed set screws 41 which are locked by locking screws 41a are threaded through the cars 45, engaging on opposite sides of the operator 46 and spaced slightly therefrom so that during the initial rocking of the driven lever 3|! in either direction, the associated releasment of this gear.

ing fingers 40 or M will engage the adjacent engage one of the set screws 4? and at this'time driven lever 31 will move with driving lever 35. In order to provide for unitary movement of the several driving and driven levers after they have been initially set so that th'eengines or other elements associated therewith are operated in synchronism, I have provided a main driving lever generally designated as 48. The main lever 48 comprises an elongated tubular lever member 49 which slidably engages a lever 50 carried by an annulus or hub 5i. The sleeve 35 at its rear end is formed with a cylindrical flange 52 which engages in a recess 53 formed in the inner side of a ring gear 54. The gear 54 is locked relative to the flange 52 and the sleeve 35 by means of a plurality of outwardly projecting sector-shaped fingers 55 which engage through slots 56 formed in the gear 54. These fingers or projections 55 which are formed integral with the cylindrical flange 52 are also formed on their inner sides with cam recesses 51. The slots 56 are slightly longer than the width of the fingers 55 so that there will be initial lost motion between the gear 54 and the fingers 55 during which cycle the releasing fingers carried by the gear 54 will move the wedging members locking the sleeve to the pivot to released position. g

Pairs of wedging rollers 58 constantly urged apart by means of springs 59 are disposed in the cam recesses and engage the periphery of the stationary sleeve 24 to provide a brake for pre,-' venting rotation of the sleeve 35' relative to the 4 stationary sleeve 24. The gear 54 is rotatably disposed within the hub 5! of the lever 55 and the gear 54 is selectively locked relative to the hub 5| by means of a locking bolt or plate 60 which is slidable in a slot 6! formed in the lower 'end portion of the lever 5| and projecting through the hub 5l so that the bolt 60 may engage between selected teeth of the gear 54.

The bolt 65, as shown in Figure 3, is formed at its upper end with a head 62 slidable in a recess or opening 63 formed in the lever arm 50, and a pin 64 extends through the head 62 and also extends through the flat sides of the tubular lever 49. In this manner upward or endwise movement of the lever 49 will pull the key 60 outwardly to released position so that hub 5| may be freely rotated about the gear 54 without move- Gear 54, as shown in Figure 3, is provided with pairs of releasing fingers 65 and 66 confronting rollers 58, and 2. lug 61 is disposed between each of the fingers 65 and 65. Anti-friction rollers 68 are disposed in the spaces between the lugs 67 and the releasing fingers 65 and 66 and provide a bearing for the flange 52 of the sleeve 35.

The driving or main lever 48 is under spring tension, urging this lever to rock in a counterclockwise direction by means of a spiral spring 69 which is wound about a spacer ring 16 interposed between the forward side of the main lever assembly and the adjacent auxiliary engine lever 30. One end of the spring 59 is looped about a spacer sleeve 19 and'the other end of the spring 69 is hookedover the junction between the lever arm 50 and the hub 5|, as indicated at H'.

In order to provide for release of the main lever 48 when one of the driving levers 30 is moved clockwise to off position for cutting off the associated engine, I have provided a U-shaped releasing member 12.

The releasing member 12 has the opposite legs 13 thereof pivoted on a spacer sleeve I9 at the lower portion of the frame, and the bight I4 of the releasing member 12 extends lengthwise of the frame l5 in the path of the movement of the levers 36. The releasing member I2 is constantly urged inwardly by means of a spring 15. The releasing member l2 has secured to one leg 13 thereof, a channel-shaped longitudinally curved lock'operating member 16. The lock operating member 16 extends inwardly of the frame, as shown in Figure 3, on the forward side of the main lever 48, and a roller 1! carried by the pin 64 engages in the channel member 76 so that rocking upwardly of the channel member 16 by outward rocking of the U-shaped releasing member 12 will mov the locking bolt or plate 66 upwardly and out of engagement with the teeth of the gear 54.

The driving levers 30 are adapted to be individually adjusted for synchronizing the engines or other elements one with another, rocking of the levers 36 efiecting rocking of the driven levers 3|. The levers 30 are rocked counterclockwise to increase the engine speed, and are rocked clockwise to decrease or cut off the engine speed. The driven levers 30 are automatically locked, as hereinbefore described, by the locking rollers 31 and during the initial rocking ofv the driving levers 30, the fingers 40 or 41 will move the adjacent rollers 3'1 toreleased position and further movement of the drivinglevers 30 will bring the operator or abutment 46 into engagement with one of 3 the adjustable setscrews 41 so that the driven lever 3i will rock with driving lever 30. These driving --revers an and er s" triteabout the sreeve 35' which is rotatable on the (stationary pivot. e "stationary pivot er sleeve 24 l oel'ced against retanmrelative to the frame "by litteha'f1s of a lockin ring 18' which is formed with -a split proje'c'tierrie having key members a'n en ageable in one ofth'e-sl'ots of the sleeve 24. The tim T9 is formed witha slo't B l at itsf outer end, within which a flattened or cam s liaped spacermember M eiig'aging between the end members l6 and i1 is adapted to engage. A resilient spider '83 carried by an axially disposed boltssd has the arms '8 Cr-thereof projectin'gthrough the slots 25 and bearing against thevlocliingiring 18. A crosspi-n -85 extends throughflange 28 and 1 the head ofbo'lt '84 to 'hold' this bolt against turning so that the nut bearing against spider-83 may lie-adjusted to tension spider 8 3'. After the-levers and 3| have been adjusted to synchronize the engines one with the other, the engines may be accelerated or decelerated'a's a unit by rec tin er'the main lever 48. Rocking lever is win release the locking or wedging members 58 so that sleeve will turn with lever 48, and as the levers 3B and 3| are locked to sleeve 35 by the wedging members, the levers 3i] and 3| will rock as a unit with the main lever 48, and the main lever 48 may be adjusted independently of the levers 30 and 3| by pulling the tubular lever member 49 outwardly, thereby moving the locking bolt 60 to released position. The main lever may then be circumferentially adjusted to the desired position.

In the event one of the engines is cut off for any desired reason, the associated driving lever 30 may be moved clockwise and when this is done, the driving lever 38 will strike the releasing bar 14 of the releasing member I2, rocking releasing member '52 forwardly 0r outwardly and at the same time swinging channel member 16 upwardly and thereby moving locking bolt 60 to released position. Spring 69 will then move main or master lever 48 to the extreme forward position, automatically placing it in a non-interfering position, for operation of the individual levers 30.

In the event the pilot should rock the main lever 48 with one or more of the engines cut off, the main lever will be ineffective in its operation as to the other engine levers so that at this time it will be necessary for the pilot to adjust the remaining engine levers individually to obtain proper engine operation.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A lever assembly comprising a frame, a stationary pivot carried by said frame, a sleeve rotatable on said pivot, a plurality of driving levers rockably carried by said sleeve, a driven lever associated with each of said driving levers and rockably carried by said sleeve, said driven levers being capable of limited rocking relative to said driving levers, releasable clutch means normally locking each of said driven levers to said sleeve and disposed therebetween, clutch release means carried by each of said driving levers engageable with said clutch means for releasing said driven levers, correlated means carried by each of said driving and driven levers active after releasing of said clutch means for rocking said driven levers with said driving levers, a main lever, and operative connections between said main lever and said sleeve.

2. A lever assembly comprising a frame, a sta- 6 tionary pivot carried 'bysaid frame, 'a-sleeverc tatable on. said pivot, a pluralityv "of driving :levers iUGKabl'y' carried by said sleeve, a plurality: of driven levers-'rochably. carriedby said sleeve, releasable clutch means normally locking'said driven levers to-sai'd sleeve, clutch release means carried icy-said *dri'vin'g lever's 'enga'geable with said GIlZIliCh"- mean S for releasing said driven z'lev'ers, correlated-mean carri-iedvby said 'drivingand driven levers activeafter releasing ofsai'd clutch means whereby said driven levers will rock. with said driving-levers, a main lever, operative connections Ibetweenvsaid mam lever' and said' sleeve, releasable bralre means normally docking said sleeve to :said pivot-fiend release m'eans correlated with said :rnain lever and active upon the initial rokill githebeo-f rorreleasing'said brakemeans'. 1 3. Ntever assemibl'y c'omprising'a frame, a'plurality or rock? levers,- a rotatable pivot for said levers carried by-said name, releasable clutch means. for: cooking said levers to said pivot, leach lever including' cluteh release-means for releasing said levers relative to said pivot, releasable brake means for locking said pivot relative to said frame, a main lever, and operative connections between said main lever and said pivot, said operative connections including brake release means engageable with said brake means upon movement of said main lever for releasing said brake means whereby said pivot may be rotated with movement of said main lever.

4. A lever assembly comprising a frame, a plurality of rock levers, a rotatable pivot for said levers carried by said frame, releasable clutch r means for locking aid levers to said pivot, re-

' said operative connections including releasable latch means whereby said main lever may be angularly adjusted independently of said first named levers, and means carried by said frame operatively connected with said latch means and disposed in the path of said first named levers in one direction of movement of the latter whereby said latch means will be moved to released position by at least one of said first named levers and said main lever will be thereby uncoupled relative to said pivot.

5. A lever assembly comprising a frame, a plurality of rock levers, a rotatable pivot for said levers carried by said frame, releasable clutch means for locking said levers to said pivot, releasable brake means for locking said pivot relative to said frame, a main lever, operative connections between said main lever and. said pivot, said operative connections including releasable latch means whereby said main lever may be angularly adjusted independently of said first named levers, a U-shaped member rockably carried by said frame and disposed in the path of movement of said first named levers, a spring constantly urging said U-shaped member toward said first named levers, and an arm carried by said U-shaped member engaging said latch means whereby the latter will be moved to released position upon outward rocking of said U-shaped member upon engagement of the latter by one of said first named levers.

6. A lever assembly comprising a frame, a stationary shaft carried by said frame, a sleeve rotatable on said shaft, releasable brake means normally locking said sleeve to said shaft, a plurality of levers rockably carried by said sleeve, releasable clutch means normally locking said levers to said sleeve, a main lever including an inner part and an outer part slidably carried by said inner part, a toothed latch member correlated with said first named brake means, and a locking bolt fixed relative to said outer lever part whereby said main lever may be selectively angularly adjusted relative to said first named levers, and brake releasing means carried by said inner part adapted to engage said brake means for releasing the latter whereby said rotatable sleeve and said plurality of levers may be rotated as a unit.

'I. A lever assembly comprising a frame, a stationary shaft carried by said frame, a sleeve rotatable on said shaft, releasable brake means normally locking said sleeve to said shaft, a plurality of levers rockably carried by said sleeve, releasable clutch means normally locking said levers to said sleeve, a main lever including an inner part and an outer part slidably carried by said inner part, a toothed latch member correlated with said first named brake means, a locking bolt fixed relative to said outer lever part whereby saidmain lever may be selectively angularly adjusted relative to said first named levers, and a locking bolt releasing member rockably carried by said frame, connected to said bolt and disposed. in the path of swinging in one direction of said first named lever whereby said bolt may be moved to inoperative position upon movement of one of said first named levers in said one direction.

CHARLES R. SUSKA.

REFERENCES CITED 2 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Great Britain Dec. 13, 1928 

